Pete Alexander vs Gerrit Cole: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Gerrit Cole (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Pete Alexander
Gerrit Cole
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1910s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Gerrit Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 163 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 339 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 8 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,382 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 525 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 1,742 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 2,081.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 10.30 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.27 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Gerrit Cole 75,743 to 50,909 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 12, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (4,242 to 3,607). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gerrit Cole — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Gerrit Cole careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pete Alexander's ended in 1930, and Gerrit Cole debuted in 2013. Pete Alexander has the far longer record, 696 games against 339 across 21 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Gerrit Cole are strikeouts (2,382 to 2,198), WHIP (1.09 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games). Gerrit Cole's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Pete Alexander vs Gerrit Cole: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Gerrit Cole?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Gerrit Cole in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.